Embed

description

Object description

Content description

REEL 1 Aspects of period as private with 1st and 2nd Bns King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in GB, India and Burma, 1932-1939: background to enlistment, 1932; reaction of parents to enlistment; service in India and Burma; discharge from army, 1939; reaction to recall to service. Recollections of operations as NCO with 1st Bn King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 15th Infantry Bde in Norway, 1940: journey from Metz, France to Norway via Scotland; issue of warm clothing; description of voyage to Norway; firing on German Air Force reconnaissance aircraft at Dombas; night disembarkation at Molde; march to Otta; character of commanding officer; character of battalion; discipline; section weapons.
REEL 2 Continues: personal weapons in section; opinion of Thompson Machine Gun; incident during sentry duty; uniform worn and it's inadequacy for Norway; impressions of Norway; mood of troops; problems digging in at Dombas; deployment at Dombas; character of his section; march from Dombas to Otta; move to Kvam; deployment in defensive positions; construction of breastworks; layout of defensive positions.
REEL 3 Continues: settling into positions; location of company headquarters; character of terrain; hearing news that forward company was under pressure; shelling of his own position and casualties; fate of company commander; orders to withdraw to Otta; reduction in A company personnel; withdrawal process; impressions of A company withdrawing through positions; defensive positions at Dombas; entraining for Andalsnes; de-railing of train and march into tunnel; resting in tunnel; state of medical officer; pre-deployment training in regiment; train from tunnel to Andalsnes; embarkation at Andalsnes; firing at targets at Kvam.
REEL 4 Continues: description of German attack at Kvam; lessons learnt from campaign; atmosphere in battalion on return from Norway; arrival of reinforcements; debriefing on return from Norway.

Over two million American servicemen passed through Britain during the Second World War. In 1944, at the height of activity, up to half a million were based there with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Their job was to man and maintain the vast fleets of aircraft needed to attack German cities and industry.